Locking device for automobile steering mechanisms



E. L. B. VON DIEZELSKI. LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE STVEERING MECHANSMS. APPLICATION FILED ri. Ia. Iszo.

Patented J uly 4, 1922.

2 saisis-SHEET I.

` inventa u llll l Cai 'atta my E. i.. E. VON DIEZELSK!t LUCKWG DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBLE STEEHFNG MECHANISH APPLICATION FILED FEB.I8.1920. 1,421,870. Pfente July 4, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE STEERING MECHANISHS.

Specicaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application led February 18, 1920. Serielle. 859,649.

To all whom it ma concern Beit known t at I, ERNEST L. B. VON DinzELsKi, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York cit borough of Bronx, in the county ot' New 'ork and State of New York, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices for Automobile Steering Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a locking means for use in connection'with steering mechanisms of automobiles for the prevention of unauthorized operation thereof, as when the automobile is placed in storage in garages, or when left unattended in the temporary absence of the owner or authorized operator of the same.

The primary object of the invention is to provide for a comparatively simple and etlicient locking means of the tvpe mentioned, and one which may be readily applied to known types of steering mechanisms without serious modifications of present constructions of the same.

'Another object of the invention is to provide a locking means for effectively performing the stated function, and one of a permutation type, in the use of which` the necessity of a separate actuating means for the manipulation thereof, such as a key or the like which is easily lost or otherwise misleid, is obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking means ot' the character described, und one which is adapted to be mounted on the steering column of an automobile and manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the steering wheel to and from the steering rod or post, extending upward tlirongh the steering column, which connects the steering wheels of the automobile, and through the medium of which, Ythe latter arel manipulated for changing the direction of travel of the automobile.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be herein-after more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which igure 1 is a front view, in elevation, of the upper end of the steering column of an automobile, with the hand steering wheel thereof in cross-section, preferred embodiment of plied thereto,

Figure 2 is a fragmenta top plan View of Figure 1 showing the loc ing mechanism in position on the steeringcolumn and the steering wheel thereof, c

Figure .3 is a` vertical section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2 showing the position of the parts, when the steering wheel is disconnected from the steering post within the steering column.

Figure 4 is a view' similar to that of Figure 3 showing -the position of the parts, when the steering wheel is connected to the steering post.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Figure 1 showing the upper of the permutation discs in plan.

F gure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5, taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1,1 and showing one of the lower discs in p an,

Figure 7 is a similar view to that of Figl ures fand 6 taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 1, and showing the vhub connection of and showing the the invention apthe steering wheel, as it is engaged over the end of the steering column, and the lug engaging recesses therein,

igure 8 is an enlarged detail of one of the permutation discs showing the means for securing one of the several indicating members in position on the periphery thereof.

Referring to the drawings. and more particularly to Figures l to 7 thereof, the numeral 1 designates the fixed steering column ot' an automobile, and 2 the steering post, member or rod therein, the latter being preferably of the solid rod type as is usually employed in automobiles of relatively heavy construction, such as is found in delivery cars, motor trucks, and the like. Mounted on the end of the fixed column 1 is a hand steering wheel 3, having a hub portion 4 engaged over the end of the column, and free to rotate thereon in the usual manner and Without effecting the steering post, means, to be herein-after fully described, being provided to alternately connect or disconnect the steering wheel to and `from the steering post at the will of the authorized operator of the automobile for the purpose herein-before mentioned.

llkdlly of the Wall The hub 4 may be an integral part of the hand steering wheel 3 or the same may be fitted over and secured to a separate sleeve 5, Figure 4, surrounding the free end of the steering column, Opening through the upper face of the hub 4, or the sleeve 5, and concentric with the bore thereof, is a couilter bore or annular channel 6, and opening through the upper face and extending raof the counter bore or sleeve are a series of equidi'stantly spaced recesses or slots 7, preferably four (4) in number, and one of said recesses or slots being of slightly less width than that of the others and distinguished therefrom by the numeral 8, the purpose of which recesses or slots to be herein-after more fully set forth.

The outer periphery of the upper end of the hub 4, is threaded to receive thereon the complemental threaded portion 9 of a circular casing, the latter bein formed with an intermediate portion 10, o greater diameter than that of the lower portion 9, and with an upper portion 11 of slightly less diameter than that of either the intermediate or lower portions, each portion of the casing being roncentricnlly disposed with respect one to the other. The top end of the upper portion 11 of the casing is formed with an inturned flange 12, the inner edge or periphery of which forming the wall of a cir rar opening 13. The upper end of the steering post, member or rod 2 extends upward with- 1n the casing and is provided with a squared head or portion 14, the latter projecting into or slightly above the plane of the top wall of the opening 13 of the upper portion 11 of the casing, and is adapted to be albernately en aged by and disengaged from a correspondingly squared opening 15 of a flan ed collaror cap-member 16 carried by or treaded on the upper end of a verticali sliding sleeve or locking member 17, whic de ends within the casing through the oircu ai' opening 13, and encloses the free end of the steering post or member 2 and has its lower end in slidin engagement with the counter-bore or annu ar channel 6 of the hub 4, or the sleeve 5, as the case may be. Instead of the flanged collar or cap-member 16 being threaded or otherwise secured on the u per end of the sleeve or locking member 1 the latter may be formed with an inturned flange 18, as in Figure 4, the edges of which forming the walls of the squared opening 15 adapted to engage with .the squared head or portion 14 of the steering post or member 2. x

Arranged within the intermediate portion 10 of the casing, and in superposed relation with respect one to the other, are a plurality of circular permutation'discs 19 an 20, five of such discs being shown in the present instance, and each having a concentric opening engaged over the sleeve or lookin member 17. The lower four of the discs, esignabed 19, are each provided with a. set of slots o`r recesses formed therein and extending radially from the circular center opening and spaced equidistantly thereof, three of such slots or recesses, designated 21, are of equal area, While the fourth slot or recess 22 is of slightly less width as compared therewith. interposed between each of the slots or recesses 21 and 22, are other slots or recesses 23, which may be termed dummy slots or recesses, and which may or may not be spaced equidistnntlv from the other set of slots or recesses i i nd The upper disc 20 is also provided with a set of four slots or recesses 24, spaced correspondingly to register with the slots or recesses 21 and 22 of the discs 19, and the Same are preferably all of an equal area approximating that of the slots or recesses 21 only. This disc 20 is not provided with dummy slots or recesses as are the discs 19, and it is to be noted of the dummy slots or recesses 23, of the discs 19, that the same are all pref erably of equal area to that of the slots or recesses 21 therein` or they may be of un area corresponding to that of the narrow slots or recesses 22, of the discs 19 only. It is also to he noted that slots or recesses 7 und 8, of the hub 4, or sleeve 5, correspond to the slots or recesses 21 and 22, of the discs 19 and the slots or recesses 24, of the disc 20, and are adapted to be registered therewith in the operation of the device or mechanism.

The sliding sleeve or locking member 17 is provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced and verticallv elongated lugs, three of which, designated 25, are of an area in cross-section corresponding to the slots or recesses 21. of the discs 19, und all of the slots or recesses 24, of the dise 20. und one of an urea to pass through the slots or recesses 22, of the discs 19, and the corresponding slot or recess 8, of the hub t, or sleeve 5. Une of the lugs, of the sleeve or locking member 17, is slightly longer, as indicated at 26, and may be properly termed the dummy luggthe purpose of which will be hereinafter ni re fully described. The top surfaces ofthe lugs 25 and 26 are all disposed in the same plane, and immediately above. one of the same there is provided a pin 27, projecting radially from the sleeve or locking member 17, :in which is adapte to pass through a slot 2S, formed in th flange 12, of the opening 13, and, upon a slight turn imparted to the sleeve or locking member 17, when the same has been raised within the casing, rests upon the'top face of the flan e 12 to hold the locking member with the ugs 25 in the upper portion 11 of the casing and out of engagement with the slots or recesses of the discs. In this izo position, the opening 15, of the sleeve or locking member 17, is out of engagement with the head 14, and consequently, the hand or steering wheel 3 is disconnected from the steering mechanism.

To properly assemble the parts within the casing, the upper portion 1l thereof is remova e there 'rom at its threaded connection with the intermediate ortion 10, as indicated at 29, an annular anged portion 3U being formed at the lower end of the upper portion 1l and extending radially therefrom and engaging within the upper end of the intermediate portion 10. The vertical wall of the intermediate portion 10, of the casing, is provided with diametrioally opposed cutaway portions to provide relatively wide openings 31 through which the fingers are to be inserted for the manipulation of the permutation discs 19 and 20, when the latter are positioned within the same, and the front wall portion 32, between the openings 31, is provided with` a vertically elongated sight opening 33. The periphery of each of the discs 19 and 2U are provided with suitable indicating points, numbered 1 to 9 and a 0, and which are adapted to register with the sight opening in any suitable or desired combina-tion. To enable the operator to change the combination throughout a wide range, the indicating points are in the form of numbered discs 34, eaoh having a threaded shank 35 fitting into suitable similarly threaded openings in the ripheries of the discs, and are cons quentinterchangeable one with the other. (yFigure 8 of the drawing).

In the operation of the locking mechanism thus provided and assembled, a predeter mined combination of the numbers on the i Several discs 19 and 20 having been selected and properly arranged thereon, as for instance 32470 reading downward, the discs are rotated, by the fingers being inserted through the openings 31, until`the numbers selected are brought into registry and alignment with the. slght opening 33, as shown in Figure 1, so that the slots or recesses 21 and E32- are brought into proper alignment with coinplcmental slots or recesses 24. of the disc 2U, and with the complemental slots or recesses 7 and 8, of the hub 4 or the sleeve 5. The upper or projected end of the sleeve or looking member 17 is now grasped b v the fingers and turned to bring the pin :2T into alignment with the slot 28, and then lowered into the easing` the pin 27 passing downward through the slot 28, and the lugs 25, now in alignment with the properly registering slots or recesses of the several discs, into engagement with the latter and with the recesses i' and 8 of the hub 4. or the sleeve 5. In this position, the opening 15, oi the locking member 1T, engages over the squared head of the steering post or rod 2,

and consequently, the hand or steering wheel 3 is connected to the latter for performing the usual steering operation. In` the lower position of the sleeve or locking rod 17, the top surfaces of the lugs 2b are disposed in a plane immediately below the upper disc 20, so that the latter may be removed from the combination, or rotated to act as a locking means to prevent the looking member 17 being accidently jolted or removed from engaged position.

In the reverse operation of the locking mechanism, that of disconnecting the steering wheel 3 from the steering post 2 for ren-- dering the steering mechanism inoperative during the absence of the owner or other authorized operator of the automobile, the top disc is returned to the proper oombination setting, as before stated, and the sliding sleeve or locking member 17 is lifted from engagement wit the several recesses of the discs 19 and 2() and of the hub 4, or sleeve 5, the pin 27 passed through the slot 2S, and by a turn of the sleeve or locking member 17, is allowed to come to rest on the top surface of the fiange 12. The lugs 25 are now within the u iper portion 11, of the casing, so that the discs 19 and 20 are free to be rotated to break the combination, and the hand or steering wheel B is'disconnected from the steering mechanism.

l'n the event of an illegal attempt to re-` store the operative connection between the steering wheel and the steering post or inember Q. and the sliding sleeve or locking member 1T is lowered into the casing, the longer of the lugs 25 will, upon rotation of the locking member 17 or the discs 19 and 20, or both, pass through the recesses 24 of the upper dise Q0 and engage in one of the comparatively large number of main and dummy recees of the lower dise or discs, but it is improbable that it would engage in its complemental recess for the further lowering ot' the locking member. and should suela be the case the lower discs, and their "dununy" recesses in addition to the main recesses'. would render it extremely difficult for the accomplishment of the final lowering of the locking member into operative position.

From the foregoing description of the instruction and operation of the invention, it will be readily obvious that the same embodies a. simple and effective means for rendering an automobile inoperative during the absence of the owner or authorized operator thereof, such as will prevent the illegal use of thc automobile, when the sameis placed in storage ingarages, orthe theft thereof, when thc same is let't unattended in its daily use. the locking mechanism being' capable of' quick manipulation for either the locking or unlocking operations. such as will not involve much oi' the time oi' thc owner or operator, especially since the usual key or other similar'separate lock actuating device is dispensed with.

It is also to be understood that vorios modifications, and changes in specic construction and arrangement, or number of ports may be resorted to without departing from the spirit und scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, is:-

1. In a device of the class described, an open ended steering column, asteering wheel juurna'lled on the open end of seid steering column` u circular casing carried on the upper face ot' the central portion of said steering wheel, u steering p'ost extending upward within said steering column and having its free end projeclting into the plane of the upper end of said casing lockmg members within said casing. and a locking sleeve surrounding the free end of said steering post und adapted for vertical movement within suid'casi; g and with respect to said steering element and to seid lockln members.

2. In u device of the c ass described, an open ended steering column, ny steering Wheel joui'ualled on ,the open end of said steering column` n cylindrical casing carried on the upper face ot' the central portion of said steering wheel, a steering post extending upwurd within said steering column und havingl its free end projecting into tbe plane ot' the upper end of snid casing, locking menibcrs within seid casing, und a locking sleeve titted over the free end of said steering post :1nd depending Within said casing for vertical movement with respect to Said steering post and to said locking members.

3. In u device of the class described, an opcn ended steering column, a hub member joui-milled on the open end of said steering column, u steering wheel carried by seid hub member, e cylindrical casing supported on the upper face of the central portion of said steering Wheel, e solid steering post extending u pward Within said steering column and having its free end projecting into the plaine" of the upper end of Said casing, locking members within said casing and surroundin f said steering post, and e locking sleeve fitted over ist! free end of said steering post and tlrhlllil i Within seid casing for verticul nmvemen therein und with respect to the said free cnd of said Steering post and to seid locking members.

4. In u device of the class described, an open ended steering column, a hub member diournilled on the open end of seid steering column, a steering wheel carried by said hub member, s cylindrical casing supported on the upper face of the central portion of said steering wheel. a solid steering post extending upward within said steering column and having its free end projecting into the plebe of the upper end of said casing, permutation locking members within said calsing and surrounding said steering post, and u ocking sleeve fitted over the free end of said steering post and depending within said casing for vertical movement therein with respect to the said free end of said steering lpost and to said permutation locking me1ners.

5. In a device of the class described, an open ended steering column, a hub member journalled on the open end of said steerin column, a steerin Wheel carried by said hu member, a eylin rical casing supported on the upper fece of the central portion of said steering wheel, a solid steering post extending upward within said steering column and having its free end projecting into the plane of the upper end of sind easing, a plurality of circular permutation discs arranged in superposed relation Within said casing and surrounding said steering post, and a locking sleeve fitted over the free end of said steering post and depending within said casing for vertical movement therein with respect to the said free end of said steering post and to said permutation discs.

6. In a device of the class described, an open ended steering column, a, steering wheel journulled on the open end of Suid steering column, a steering post extending upward within said steering column and buvmg its upper end pro'ecting above the open end of the latter, e cyiindrical casing carried on the upper fece of the central portion of seid steering wheel and enclosing the open end of said steering column and the projecting end of said steering within said casing an having central aligning openings therein, a locking element Inovable vertically Within said easing and with res )ect to the upper end of seid steering post an to said locking members, seid locking element having a squered recess adapted to engage with and be disengaged from a squared head :rt the free end of seid steenj ing post correspondingly with tbe movements of said locking element, and meen` for retaining seid locking element in raised and inoperative position.

7. In e device of the class described, en open ended steering column, a steering wheel jonrnalled on the open end of said steering column, o steering post extending upward within said steering column and having its upper end projecting above tbe plane o't tbe open end of the latter. n cylindrical casing removably supported on the upper face of the central portion of said steering Wheel und enclosing the open end of said steering column, a plurality of circular permutation discs arranged in superposed relation within said casing and having central aligning openings therein, recesses formed in said ermutation dises and ada ted to be moved into and out of registry, e ocking sleeve desus (post, locking members pending within said easing and passing through the aligned openings of sa'nl permutation dises, lugs carried on said 4locking sleeve and adapted for engagement with certain of the recesses ot' said pernmtation discs when operative, and means for retaining said locking sleeve in raised and inoperative position,

S. In a device of the class deserihed, an open ended steering column` a steering wheel journalled on the open end of said steering column, a eylindrieal easing removahi)7 se? cured on the upper face of the central portion of said steering wheel, a solid steering "post extending upward within said steering column and having its tree end projecting through said casing, permutation dises within said easing and surrounding Said steering post, said permutation discs being formed with a plurality of spaced recesses.l a locking element fitted over the vfree end of said steering post and having a recess in its upper end adapted for engagement with a squared head formed at the said free end of said steering post, said locking clement depending Within said :asing`and having vertieal movement therein hetween the steering post and said permutation discs. lugs rarried on said locking element and adapted for engagement with eeitain of said reeesses of said permutation discs when operative. and means for retaining aid locking element in raised and inoperative position.

9. In a de\ive ot' the class desrrihed, a xed open ended steering eolunni.y a steering wheel journalled on the open end of saiil steering column, a, cylindrical easing removably secured on the upper face ot' the ventral portion of said steering wheel, a `solid steering post extending upward within said steering column and said casing, the free end of said steering post projecting to a point fiush with the top of said easing and having a squared head projecting above the plane thereof, permutation discs within said easing and surrounding said steering post, said permutation dises heing formed with a plurality of spaced recesses, the upper of said permutation discs having a less number of recesses than the lower of said discs, a locking element depending within said easing and surrounding said steering post, said locking element having its upper end proeeting above the top ofrsald casing and having a squared recess formed 'therein adapted to he engaged with and disengaged from the squared head formed on said,l steering post, said locking element having ver tical movement within said'easing hetween said steering post and Said permutation discs, lugs formed with said lot-king element and adapted for engagement with certain of said recesses of said permutation dises when operative, said lugs corresponding in numher to the number ot' reresses of the upperlnost ot' said permutation discs. and meanst'or retaining said locking element in raised or inoperative position.

In testimonv whereoll l ali.\ mv signature.

ERNEST l1. lA VON UllCZlILSlii. 

